Carding machine



June 1, 1948. F. w. WATSON 2,442,478

. CARDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1, 1948. w, WATSON 2,442,478

CARDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1, 1944 2 Sheets-Shut 2 15 SI 6 NA L S in Patented June 1, 1948 Frederick w.

CARDING momma Watson, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,

assignor to Toronto Carpet Manufacturing Co. Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application December 1, 1944, Serial No. 566.088 1 Claim. (01. 19-166) This invention relates to improvements in machines for carding wool or other fibrous materials in the manufacture of yarn where the sliver stripped from the doffer in the breaker is transferred to the finisher on on overhead belt and the principal object of the invention is to avoid the losses due to the breaking or separating'of the sliverwhile the machine operator is attending to duties about the machine remote from the sliver transfer mechanism and to provide an alarm which will notify the operator or which may be utilized to effect the automatic stopping of the machine on the breaking of the sliver.

Th principal feature of th invention consists in projecting a beam of light in the plane of travel of the sliver being fed to the traversing carriage on the finisher machine so that while the sliver continues to be fed to the machine such light beam is intercepted thereby, and arranging an electrical device responsive to the light beam in alignment with said projected beam which will operate an alarm or an automatic control device upon the beam impinging thereon if the sliver is broken.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the adjacent ends of a breaker and finisher of a carding machine with the mechanism for transferring the sliver from the breaker to the finisher and illustrating the disposition of the light beam projector and the member responsive to the beam.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the finisher machine and the sliver transfer device with the sliver feed from the breaker illustrating the disposition of the light beam projector and receiver with its connected alarm.

Figure 3 is a wiring diagram for the signal control.

In the operation of a carding machine of the type comprising a breaker and a finisher there is suspended from a suitable hanger I a sliver transfer device here shown in the form of a frame 2 diagonally arranged in an overhead position with one end disposed substantially centrally above the feed apron of the finisher and the other end extending to a position above the delivery rolls arranged at the end of the breaker machine.

A flanged spool 4 is rotatably mounted centrally of the length of the frame 2 and a pair of pivotal arms 5 mounted centrally of the frame and extending over the sliver delivery rolls 3 are flexibly supported by springs 6 and carry a flanged spool 1 over which the carded sliver 8 passing through the delivery rolls 8 is directed.

2 A spool 9 mounted on the opposite end of the frame 2 directs the sliver 8 into position to feed into the rolls Ill of the traversing carriage ll of the finisher machine.

The spool l is rotated to feed the sliver over the transfer mechanism and an endlessbelt extends between the spools l and 9 to carry the sliver, the spools being driven by inter-connecting endless belts l2 and I3, the spool I being operated by a belt [4 suitably driven from the feed rolls 3 of the breaker machine.

The sliver 8 depending from the suspension spool 9 is carried back and forth in a substantially vertical plane across the feed end of the finisher by the traversing carriage which lays the sliver upon the horizontal feeding apron IS.

A suitable vertical standard 16 is arranged at one side of the finisher machine opposite the carriage II and arranged thereon is a suitable light I! provided with a lens which directs a beam of light across the end of the machine in the vertical plane of travel of the carded sliver being fed to the traversing carriage so that it strikes the sliver substantially centrally of its width.

The source of power to the lamp circuit is preferably controlled by a suitable type of centrifugal switch H which is operatively connected to a rotating member of the carder so that thesignal circuit is alive only when the carder is running. The lamp is here shown arranged in a transformer circuit il A vertical standard [8 is arranged at the opposite side of the machine to the standard l6 and upon it is arranged an electrical device l9 upon which the beam of light from the light I1 is directed. This device is provided with a. photo electric cell or similar dew'ce which will respond to the impinging of the light beam thereon to operate a signal 20- diagrammaticallg illustrated as an alarm bell or light.

In the operation of the machine the carded silver 8 delivered from the breaker machine is carried over the transfer mechanism described and passing downwardly from the spool 9 is fed to the traversing carriage I l and is laid back and forth on the receiving apron l5 of the finisher.

The sliver moves back and forth in a vertical plane and intercepts the light beam from the light I! but in the event of the sliver breaking in its back and forth travel, the light beam impinges on the receiver member l9 and operates the electrical element therein to close an electrical circuit to the alarm 20 and the machine operator will be immediately informed of the sliver breakage so that he may stop the machine and thus avoid the severance of the continuity of feed of the sliver to the finisher which it not observed instantly may require the removal of a considerable quantity or carded material as any material coming 01! the machine following a break in the sliver will be sub-standard and there will be an attendant loss of both labour and material. 7

It will be understood that the operation 0! th alarm may be readily applied to operate means for automatically stopping the machine it so desired.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a carding machine the combination with. a spaced-apart breaker and finisher and an overhead sliver transfer device directing the carded sliver from the breaker to the traversing carriage of the finisher to travel in a vertical plane, of a light arranged at one side of the finishing machine above the traversing carriage and directing across the finishing machine above the traversing carriage a beam of light lying in a. vertical plane containing the axis of travel of the carriage, a light responsive device arranged on the side of the finishing machine opposite to said light and in alignment with the beam from said light and focused thereto, and a signal operated by said light responsive device upon stimulation thereof by the light beam, the light beam directed above the traversing carriage and lying in the vertical plane containing the axis of movement thereof being normally intercepted by the vertical web of the sliver being fed from the overhead transfer device to the traversing carriage and passing between said light and said light responsive device whereby the light beam continuously follows movement of the vertical sliver web throughout its travel back and forth across the finishing machine in accordance with the movement of the traversing carriage to detect any discontinuity at any point in the sliver permitting the beam to strike and stimulate said light responsive device.

FREDERICK W. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 20 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Lawson Oct. 31, 1939 

